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Sub. H. B. No. 231As Reported by the House Energy and Environment CommitteeAs Reported by the House Energy and Environment Committee
125th General Assembly | Regular Session | 2003-2004 |
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REPRESENTATIVES Niehaus, Seitz, McGregor, Barrett, Kearns, Husted, Setzer, Collier, Webster, Carano, Allen, Aslanides, Carmichael, Strahorn, Daniels
A BILL
To amend sections 307.37, 319.281, 521.01, 711.05, 711.10, 711.131, 3701.83, 3709.085, 3709.09, 3709.091,
4736.01, 5302.30, 6111.04, and 6111.44 and to enact sections 3718.01, 3718.02, 3718.021, 3718.03
to 3718.10, 3718.99, and 6111.441 of the Revised Code to
require the Public Health Council to adopt rules
governing household sewage treatment systems and small flow on-site sewage treatment systems, to define and authorize boards of health to regulate small flow on-site sewage treatment systems, to
create the Sewage Treatment System
Technical Advisory Committee to advise the Director of Health on the approval or disapproval of new systems,
to
require the transferor of real property that is
served by a sewage treatment system to
provide on the real property disclosure form a statement that operation and maintenance information on
the system is available from the Department of Health or the local board of health of the health district in which the system is located, and to
establish other requirements governing sewage treatment systems.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 307.37, 319.281, 521.01, 711.05, 711.10, 711.131, 3701.83, 3709.085, 3709.09, 3709.091,
4736.01, 5302.30, 6111.04, and 6111.44 be amended and sections 3718.01, 3718.02,
3718.021, 3718.03, 3718.04, 3718.05, 3718.06, 3718.07, 3718.08, 3718.09,
3718.10, 3718.99, and 6111.441 of the Revised Code be enacted to
read as follows: Sec. 307.37. (A)
As used in this section, "proposed
new
construction" means a proposal to erect, construct, repair, alter,
redevelop, or maintain a single-family, two-family, or
three-family dwelling or any structure that is regulated by the Ohio building code. (B)(1) The board of county commissioners, in
addition to its
other powers, may adopt, amend, rescind,
administer, and enforce
regulations pertaining to the erection,
construction, repair,
alteration, redevelopment, and maintenance
of single-family,
two-family, and three-family dwellings within
the unincorporated
territory of the county, or the board may
establish districts in
any part of the unincorporated territory
and may adopt, amend,
rescind, administer, and enforce such
regulations in the
districts. When adopted, all
regulations,
including service
charges, shall be uniform within
all districts
in which building
codes are established; however,
more stringent
regulations may be
imposed in flood hazard areas
and in Lake Erie
coastal erosion
areas
identified under section
1506.06 of the
Revised Code in
order to prevent or reduce the
hazard resulting
from flooding and
from erosion along Lake Erie.
Except as
provided in division
(B)(3) of this section,
in no case shall the
regulations go beyond
the scope of
regulating the safety, health,
and sanitary
conditions of
those
buildings. Any person adversely affected by an order of the
board
adopting, amending, or rescinding a regulation
under this section
may appeal to the court of common pleas of the county on the
ground
that the board failed to comply with the law in adopting,
amending, rescinding, publishing, or distributing the
regulation,
that the regulation, as
adopted or amended by the
board, is unreasonable or unlawful, or that the revision of the
regulation was unreasonable or unlawful. (2) A county building code may include regulations for
participation in the national flood insurance program established
in the
"Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973," 87 Stat. 975, 42
U.S.C.A. 4002, as amended, and regulations adopted for the
purposes of section 1506.04 or 1506.07 of the Revised Code
governing the prohibition, location, erection, construction,
redevelopment, or floodproofing of new buildings or structures,
substantial improvements to existing buildings or structures, or
other development in unincorporated territory within flood hazard
areas identified under the
"Flood Disaster Protection Act of
1973," 87 Stat. 975, 42 U.S.C.A. 4002, as amended, or within
Lake
Erie coastal erosion areas identified
under section 1506.06 of
the
Revised Code, including, but not limited to, residential,
commercial, institutional, or industrial buildings or structures
or other permanent structures, as
defined in section
1506.01 of the Revised Code. Rules adopted under division
(B)(2)
of this section shall not conflict with the Ohio
building code. (3)(a)
A county building code may include regulations that
provide
for a review of the specific effects of a proposed new
construction on
existing surface or
subsurface drainage.
The
regulations may
require reasonable drainage mitigation and
reasonable alteration of a
proposed new construction before a
building
permit is issued in order
to prevent or
correct any
adverse
effects that the proposed new construction may
have
on
existing
surface or subsurface drainage. The regulations shall not be inconsistent with, more stringent than, or broader in scope than standards adopted by the natural resource conservation service in the United States department of agriculture concerning drainage or rules adopted by the environmental protection agency for reducing, controlling, or mitigating storm water runoff from construction sites, where applicable. The regulations shall allow a person who is registered under Chapter 4703. or 4733. of the Revised Code to prepare and submit relevant plans and other documents for review, provided that the person is authorized to prepare the plans and other documents pursuant to the person's registration. (b) If regulations are adopted under division (B)(3) of this
section, the board shall specify in the regulations a procedure
for the review of the specific effects of a proposed
new
construction on
existing surface or subsurface drainage. The
procedure shall
include at a minimum all of the following:
(i) A meeting at which the proposed new construction shall
be
examined for those specific effects. The meeting shall be held
within
thirty days after an application for a building permit is
filed or a review is requested
unless the applicant agrees in writing to extend that time
period
or to postpone the meeting to another date, time, or place.
The
meeting shall be scheduled within five days after an
application
for a building permit is filed or a review is requested. (ii) Written notice of the date, time, and place of that
meeting, sent by regular mail to the applicant. The written
notice shall be mailed at least seven days before the scheduled
meeting date. (iii) Completion of the review by the board of county
commissioners not later than thirty days after the application for
a building permit is filed or a review is requested unless the applicant has agreed in
writing to extend that time period or postpone the meeting to a
later time, in which case the review shall be completed not later
than two days after the date of the meeting. A complete review
shall include the issuance of any order of the board of county
commissioners regarding necessary reasonable drainage mitigation
and
necessary reasonable alterations to the proposed
new
construction
to prevent or correct any adverse effects on existing
surface
or
subsurface drainage. If the review is not completed
within the
thirty-day period or an extended or postponed period
that the
applicant has agreed to, the proposed new construction
shall be
deemed
to have no adverse effects on existing surface or
subsurface
drainage, and those effects shall not be a valid basis
for the denial of a
building permit. (iv) A written statement, provided to the applicant at the
meeting or in an order for alterations to a proposed new
construction,
informing the applicant of the right to seek
appellate review of
the denial of a building permit under division
(B)(3)(b)(iii) of
this section by filing a petition in accordance
with Chapter 2506.
of the Revised Code.
(c) The regulations may authorize the board, after obtaining the advice of the county engineer, to enter into
an agreement with the county
engineer or another
qualified
person
or
entity to carry out
any necessary
inspections and make
evaluations about what, if any,
alterations
are
necessary to
prevent or correct any adverse
effects that a
proposed
new
construction may
have on existing
surface or
subsurface drainage. (d) Regulations authorized by division (B)(3) of this
section shall not apply to any property that has been approved by
a platting authority under section 711.05, 711.09, 711.10, or
711.131 of the Revised Code. (e) As used in division (B)(3) of this section, "subsurface
drainage" does not include a household sewage disposal treatment system as
defined in section 3709.091 of the Revised Code. (C) Regulations or amendments may be adopted under this
section only after public hearing at not fewer than two regular
sessions of the board. The board shall cause to be published in
a
newspaper of general circulation in the county notice of the
public hearings, including time, date, and place, once a week for
two weeks immediately preceding the hearings. The proposed
regulations or amendments shall be made available by the board to
the public at the board office. The regulations or amendments
shall take effect on the thirty-first day following the date of
their adoption. (D) No person shall violate any regulation of the
board
adopted under sections 307.37 to 307.40 of the Revised Code. Each day during which an illegal location, erection,
construction, floodproofing, repair, alteration, development,
redevelopment, or maintenance continues may be considered a
separate offense. (E) Regulations
or amendments adopted by resolution of
the
board do
not
affect buildings or structures that exist or on
which
construction has begun on or before the date the regulation
or
amendment is adopted by the board. (F) The board may provide for a building regulation
department and may employ
personnel
that it determines to be
necessary for the purpose of enforcing its regulations.
Upon
certification of the building department under section 3781.10 of
the Revised Code, the board may direct the county building
department to exercise enforcement authority and to accept and
approve plans pursuant to sections 3781.03 and 3791.04 of the
Revised Code for any other kind or class of building in the
unincorporated territory of the county.
Sec. 319.281. The county auditor shall place on the
general
tax list and duplicate compiled in accordance with
section 319.28
of the Revised
Code the amount certified by the health
commissioner of a city or
general health district pursuant to
section 3709.091 of the Revised Code of
any unpaid
operation
permit or inspection fee for a household sewage
disposal
treatment
system
or a small flow on-site sewage treatment system or any other unpaid fee levied under Chapter 3718. of the
Revised Code and any accrued late payment penalties, together with
any fee charged by the county auditor for placing the amount on
the general tax list and duplicate and for the expenses of its
collection.
The amount
placed on the general tax list and
duplicate shall be a lien
on the real property on which the
household sewage
disposal
treatment system or small flow on-site sewage treatment system is located from the
date the amount was placed on the tax
list and duplicate, and
shall be charged and collected in the
same manner as taxes on the
list.
Sec. 521.01. (A) As used in this chapter, "private sewage
collection tile" means any tile, ditch, pipe, or other
improvement
installed by a private person to receive and convey
sewage and
sewage effluent from at least five household sewage
disposal
treatment systems, as those systems are defined
in rules adopted
by the public health council under
in section
3701.34
3718.01 of
the Revised
Code. (B) A board of township trustees may maintain and repair
private sewage collection tiles located within a township road
right-of-way in the township, where the expenditure from the
township general fund for materials to maintain and repair the
tiles does not exceed two hundred dollars for any one project. No
maintenance
or repair shall be performed that is paid for from
the
township general fund under this division until the board
adopts a
resolution authorizing the maintenance or repair. If
material
costs would exceed two hundred dollars, the board may
proceed
under
sections 521.02 to 521.07 of the Revised Code
this chapter
to
maintain and repair the tiles by assessing the cost against
property based on the special benefits the property receives from
the project.
Sec. 711.05. (A) Upon the submission of a plat for approval,
in accordance with section 711.041 of the Revised Code, the board
of county commissioners shall certify on it the date of
the
submission. Within five days of submission of the plat, the
board shall schedule a meeting to consider the plat and send a
written notice by regular mail to
the clerk of the board of township trustees of the township in
which the plat is located and the board of health of the health district in which the plat is located. The notice shall inform the trustees
and the board of health of the submission of the plat and of the date, time, and location
of any meeting at which the board of county commissioners will
consider or act upon the proposed plat. The meeting shall take
place within thirty days of submission of the plat, and no
meeting shall be held until at least seven days have passed from
the date the notice was sent by the board of county
commissioners. The approval of the board required by section
711.041 of the Revised Code or the refusal to approve shall take
place within thirty days from the date of submission or such
further time as the applying party may agree to in writing;
otherwise the plat is deemed approved and may be recorded as if
bearing such approval. (B) The board may adopt general rules
governing plats and subdivisions of land falling within its
jurisdiction, to secure and provide for the coordination of the
streets within the subdivision with existing streets and roads or
with existing county highways, for the proper amount of open
spaces for traffic, circulation, and utilities, and for the
avoidance of future congestion of population detrimental to the
public health, safety, or welfare, but shall not impose a greater
minimum lot area than forty-eight hundred square feet.
Before the board may amend or
adopt rules, it shall notify all the townships in the county of
the proposed amendments or rules by regular mail at least thirty
days before the public meeting at which the proposed amendments
or rules are to be considered. The rules
may require the county department board of health to review and comment
on a plat before the board of county commissioners acts upon it
and may also require proof of compliance with any applicable
zoning resolutions, and with household sewage treatment rules adopted by the board of health pursuant to division (B) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code as shown by written evidence of compliance with those rules that is provided in accordance with rules adopted by the public health council under division (A)(11) of that section, as a
basis for approval of a plat. Where under the provisions of
section 711.101 of the Revised Code the board of county
commissioners has set up standards and specifications for the
construction of streets, utilities, and other improvements for
common use, such the general rules may require the submission of
appropriate plans and specifications for approval. The board
shall not require the person submitting the plat to alter the
plat or any part of it as a condition for approval, as long as
the plat is in accordance with general rules governing plats and
subdivisions of land, adopted by the board as provided in this
section, in effect at the time the plat was submitted and the
plat is in accordance with any standards and specifications set
up under section 711.101 of the Revised Code, in effect at the
time the plat was submitted. (C) The ground of
refusal to approve
any plat, submitted in accordance with section 711.041 of the
Revised Code, shall be stated upon the record of the board, and,
within sixty days thereafter, the person submitting any plat
that the board refuses to approve may file a petition in
the
court of common pleas of the county in which the land described
in the plat is situated to review the action of the board.
A
board of township trustees is not entitled to appeal a decision
of the board of county commissioners under this section.
Sec. 711.10. Whenever a county planning commission or a
regional planning commission adopts a plan for the major streets
or highways of the county or region, no plat of a
subdivision of land within the county or region, other than land
within a municipal corporation or land within three miles of a
city or one and one-half miles of a village as provided in
section 711.09 of the Revised Code, shall be recorded until it is
approved by the county or regional planning commission and the
approval is endorsed in writing on the plat. Within five days
after
the submission of a plat for approval, the county or regional
planning commission shall schedule a meeting to consider the plat
and send a notice by regular mail or by electronic mail
to the clerk of the board of
township trustees of the
township in which the plat is located and the board of health of the health district in which the plat is located. The notice
shall
inform the trustees and the board of health of the submission of the plat and of
the date, time, and location of any meeting at which the county
or regional planning commission will consider or act upon the
plat. The meeting shall take place within thirty days
after submission of the plat, and no meeting shall be held
until at
least seven days have passed from the date the notice was sent by
the planning commission. The approval of the planning commission
or the refusal to approve shall be endorsed on the plat within
thirty days after the submission of the plat for approval, or
within such further time as the applying party may agree to in
writing; otherwise that plat is deemed approved, and the
certificate of the planning commission as to the date of the
submission of the plat for approval and the failure to take
action on it within that time shall
be sufficient in lieu of
the written endorsement or evidence of approval required by this
section. A county or regional planning commission shall not
require a person submitting the plat to alter the plat or any
part of it as a condition for approval, as long as the plat is in
accordance with the general rules governing plats and
subdivisions of land, adopted by the commission as provided in
this section, in effect at the time the plat is submitted.
The
ground of refusal of approval of any plat submitted, including
citation of or reference to the rule violated by the plat, shall
be stated upon the record of the commission. Within sixty days
after the refusal, the person submitting any plat
that the
county or regional planning commission refuses to approve may
file a petition in the court of common pleas of the proper county,
and the proceedings on the petition shall be governed by
section 711.09
of the Revised Code as in the case of the refusal of a planning
authority to approve a plat. A board of township trustees is not
entitled to appeal a decision of the county or regional planning
commission under this section. A county or regional planning commission shall adopt
general rules, of uniform application, governing plats and
subdivisions of land falling within its jurisdiction, to secure
and provide for the proper arrangement of streets or other
highways in relation to existing or planned streets or highways
or to the county or regional plan, for adequate and convenient
open spaces for traffic, utilities, access of
firefighting
apparatus, recreation, light, and air, and for the avoidance of
congestion of population. The rules may provide for their
modification by the county or regional planning
commission in specific cases where unusual topographical and
other exceptional conditions require the modification. The
rules may require the county department board of health to review and
comment on a plat before the county or regional planning
commission acts upon it and may also require proof of compliance
with any applicable zoning resolutions, and with household sewage treatment rules adopted by the board of health pursuant to division (B) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code as shown by written evidence of compliance with those rules that is provided in accordance with rules adopted by the public health council under division (A)(11) of that section, as a basis for approval of a
plat. Before adoption of its rules or amendment of its
rules, a public
hearing shall be held on the adoption or amendment by
the commission. Notice of the public hearing shall be
sent to all townships in the county or region by regular mail or electronic
mail at least thirty days before the hearing. No
county or regional planning commission shall adopt any rules
requiring actual construction of streets or other improvements or
facilities or assurance of that construction as a condition
precedent to the approval of a plat of a subdivision unless
the requirements have first been adopted by the board of county
commissioners after a public hearing.
A copy of the rules
shall be certified by the planning commission to the county recorders
of the appropriate counties. After a county or regional street
or highway plan has been adopted as provided in this section, the
approval of plats and subdivisions provided for in this section
shall be in lieu of any approvals provided for in other sections
of the Revised Code, so far as the territory within the approving
jurisdiction of the county or regional planning commission, as
provided in this section, is concerned. Approval of a plat shall
not be an acceptance by the public of the dedication of any
street, highway, or other way or open space shown upon the plat.
Any county or regional planning commission and a city or
village planning commission, or platting commissioner or
legislative authority of a village, with subdivision regulation
jurisdiction over unincorporated territory within the county or
region may cooperate and agree by written agreement that the
approval of a plat by the city or village planning commission, or
platting commissioner or legislative authority of a village, as
provided in section 711.09 of the Revised Code, shall be
conditioned upon receiving advice from or approval by the county
or regional planning commission.
Sec. 711.131. Notwithstanding
sections
711.001 to 711.13 of
the Revised Code, a proposed
division of a parcel of land along an
existing public street, not
involving the opening, widening, or
extension of any street or
road, and involving no more than five
lots after the original
tract has been completely subdivided, may
be submitted to the
authority having approving jurisdiction of
plats under
section 711.05, 711.09, or 711.10 of the Revised
Code
for approval without plat. If
the authority acting
through
a
properly designated representative
is satisfied
that
the
proposed division is not contrary to applicable
platting,
subdividing,
zoning,
or access management
regulations or, regulations adopted under division (B)(3) of section 307.37 of the Revised Code regarding existing surface or subsurface drainage, or household sewage treatment rules adopted by the applicable board of health pursuant to division (B) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code, it shall
within seven working
days after submission
approve
the proposed
division and, on
presentation of a
conveyance of
the parcel,
shall stamp the
conveyance
"approved by (planning authority); no
plat required" and have it
signed by its clerk, secretary, or
other official as may be
designated by it.
The planning authority
may require the
submission of a sketch and
other information
that
is
pertinent
to its determination
under this section.
Sec. 3701.83. (A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the
general operations fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used for the
purposes specified in sections 3701.04, 3701.344, 3702.20, 3710.15,
3711.021, 3717.45, 3718.06, 3721.02, 3722.04, 3733.04, 3733.25, 3733.43, 3748.04,
3748.05, 3748.07, 3748.12, 3748.13, 3749.04, 3749.07, 4747.04, 4751.04, and
4769.09 of the Revised Code. (B) The alcohol testing program fund is hereby
created in the state treasury. The director of health shall use the fund to
administer and enforce the alcohol testing and permit program
authorized by section 3701.143 of the Revised Code. The fund shall receive
transfers from the liquor control fund created under section 4301.12
of the Revised Code. All investment earnings of the alcohol
testing program fund shall be credited to the fund.
Sec. 3709.085. (A) The board of health of a city or
general health district may enter into a contract with any
political subdivision or other governmental agency to obtain or
provide all or part of any services, including, but not limited
to, enforcement services, for the purposes of Chapter 3704. of
the Revised Code, the rules adopted and orders made pursuant
thereto, or any other ordinances or rules for the prevention,
control, and abatement of air pollution. (B)(1) As used in division (B)(2) of this section: (a) "Semipublic disposal system" means a disposal system
that treats the sanitary sewage discharged from publicly
or
privately owned buildings or places of assemblage, entertainment,
recreation, education, correction, hospitalization, housing, or
employment, but does not include a disposal system that
treats
sewage in amounts of more than twenty-five thousand gallons per
day; a disposal system for the treatment of sewage that is exempt
from the requirements of section 6111.04 of the Revised Code
pursuant to division (F)(6)(7) of that section; or a disposal system
for the treatment of industrial waste. (b) Terms defined in section 6111.01 of the Revised Code
have the same meanings as in that section. (2) The board of health of a city or general health
district may enter into a contract with the environmental
protection agency to conduct on behalf of the agency inspection
or enforcement services, for the purposes of Chapter 6111.
of the Revised Code and rules adopted thereunder,
for
the disposal or treatment of sewage from semipublic disposal
systems. The board of health of a city or general
health district may charge a fee established pursuant to section
3709.09 of the Revised Code to be paid by the owner or operator of a
semipublic disposal system
for
inspections conducted by the board pursuant to a contract entered
into under division (B)(2) of this section, except
that the board shall not charge
a fee for those inspections conducted at any manufactured home
park, recreational vehicle park, recreation camp, or combined
park-camp that is licensed under section 3733.03 of the Revised
Code.
Sec. 3709.09. (A) The board of health of a city or
general health district may, by rule, establish a uniform system
of fees to pay the costs of any services provided by the board.
The fee for issuance of a certified copy of a vital record or a certification of birth shall not be less than the fee prescribed for the same service under division (A)(1) of section 3705.24 of the Revised Code and shall include the fees required by division (B) of section 3705.24 and section 3109.14 of the Revised Code. Fees for services provided by the board for purposes specified in
sections 3701.344, 3711.05, 3718.06, 3730.03, 3733.04,
3733.25, and
3749.04 of the Revised Code shall be established in accordance
with rules adopted under division (B) of this section. The
district advisory council, in the case of a general health
district, and the legislative authority of the city, in the case
of a city health district, may disapprove any fee established by
the board of health under this division, and any such fee, as
disapproved, shall not be charged by the board of health. (B) The public health
council shall adopt rules under section 111.15 of the Revised
Code that establish fee categories and uniform methodologies for
use in calculating the costs of services provided for purposes
specified in sections 3701.344, 3711.05, 3718.06, 3730.03,
3733.04, 3733.25, and 3749.04 of the Revised Code. In adopting the rules,
the public health council shall consider recommendations it
receives from advisory boards established either by statute or
the director of health for entities subject to the fees. (C) At least thirty days prior to establishing a fee for a
service provided by the board for a purpose specified in section
3701.344, 3711.05, 3718.06, 3730.03, 3733.04, 3733.25, or 3749.04 of the
Revised Code, a board of health shall notify any entity that would be
affected by the proposed fee of the amount of the proposed fee.
Sec. 3709.091. (A) As used in this section: (1) "Household sewage
disposal
treatment system" means any
sewage
disposal or treatment system, or part
thereof
of such a
system, for a single-family,
two-family,
or three-family dwelling
that receives
sewage. (2) "Sewage" means any liquid waste containing animal or
vegetable matter in suspension or solution from water closets,
urinals, lavatories, bathtubs, laundry tubs or devices, floor
drains, drinking fountains, or other sanitary fixtures, and may
include liquid containing chemicals in solution that originates from humans and human activities. "Sewage" includes liquids containing household chemicals in solution commonly discharged from a residence or from commercial, institutional, or other similar facilities. (3) "Small flow on-site sewage treatment system" means a system, other than a household sewage treatment system, that treats not more than one thousand gallons of sewage per day and that does not require a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit issued under section 6111.03 of the Revised Code or an injection well drilling or operating permit issued under section 6111.043 of the Revised Code. (B) If any owner,
leaseholder, or assignee of real property
fails to pay a fee
as required by rule of a board of health of a
city or general health
district pursuant to section 3709.09 of the
Revised Code for an operation permit
for, or for inspection of, a
household sewage
disposal
treatment system or a small flow on-site sewage treatment system
located on the real
property, the health commissioner of the
city or general health
district or the commissioner's designated
representative
shall
notify the owner, leaseholder, or assignee of the real
property of
the amount of the fee and any accrued penalties for
late payment
of the fee. The notice shall state, in boldface
letters: "You
have 30 days to object to the
amount of the unpaid
operation
permit or inspection fee for your
household sewage
disposal
treatment system or small flow on-site sewage treatment system, as applicable, as designated in this notice,
which
may include
accrued penalties for late payment of the fee.
If you
do not pay
this amount as instructed herein within 30
days of
receipt of this
notice or object to this amount during
that time
period in
accordance with the procedures set forth
herein, the
amount will
be placed as a lien on your real
property." The
notice also shall
explain how
the owner, leaseholder, or assignee
may pay the
amount, or
object to the amount in accordance with the
procedures
established by divisions (C)
and (D) of this section. Notice to the owner, leaseholder, or assignee shall be
made
by either of the following: (1) Certified mail, overnight delivery service, hand
delivery, or any other method that includes written evidence of
receipt; (2) The sheriff of the county in which the owner,
leaseholder, or assignee to be served resides, in one or more of
the methods provided in the
Ohio
Rules of
Civil
Procedure. The
sheriff may
charge reasonable fees for
such
that service. (C) Not later than
thirty days after receipt under division
(B) of this section of
notification of the amount of an unpaid
operation permit or
inspection fee and any accrued late payment
penalties,
the owner, leaseholder, or assignee may object to the
amount by
delivering a written notice of objection to the health
commissioner by any of the means provided for in division
(B)(1)
of this section. Not
later than sixty days after receipt of the
notice of objection,
the county prosecutor, on behalf of the city
or general health
district, may file a civil action in the court
of common pleas
against the owner, leaseholder, or assignee. If
the county
prosecutor fails to commence suit within the sixty-day
period,
or if the action is commenced, but dismissed with
prejudice
before adjudication, the unpaid fee and any
accrued late
payment penalties are void and cannot be
placed on the general tax
list and duplicate as a lien against
the real property. (D) If, in accordance
with division (C) of this
section, the
owner, leaseholder, or assignee objects to the
amount of the
unpaid
operation permit or inspection fee and any
accrued late
payment penalties and the county
prosecutor commences suit and
prevails in the action, the owner,
leaseholder, or assignee
objecting shall pay the amount of the
fee, any accrued late
payment penalties, and the costs
of the action, as determined by
the court. (E) If the owner,
leaseholder, or assignee on which the
notice required by
division (B) of this section
was served does
not pay to the city or general health district
the amount of an
unpaid
operation permit or inspection fee and
any accrued late
payment penalties within thirty days
after receipt of the notice,
or does not object to the amount in
the manner provided in
division
(C) of this section, the health
commissioner of the city
or general health district or the
commissioner's designated
representative
may certify,
on or before the first Monday of
September,
the amount of the unpaid fee and
any accrued late
payment penalties
to the county auditor to
be placed on the
general tax list and duplicate as provided in
section 319.281 of
the Revised Code.
Sec. 3718.01. As used in this chapter: (A) "Alter" means to change by making substantive
replacements of, additions to, or deletions in the design or
materials or to change the location of an existing
sewage treatment system.
(B)
"Board of health" means the board of health of a city or
general health district or the authority having the duties of a
board of health in any city as authorized by section 3709.05 of
the Revised Code.
(C) "Domestic septage" means the liquid or solid material
removed from a sewage treatment
system,
portable toilet, or type III marine sanitation device as defined in
33 C.F.R. 159.3. "Domestic septage" does not include grease removed from a grease trap.
(D)
"Household sewage treatment system" means any
sewage treatment system, or part of such a system, that
receives sewage from a single-family, two-family, or three-family dwelling.
(E) "Inspection" means the on-site evaluation or analysis of
the functioning of a sewage treatment system. (F) "Installer" means any person who engages in the business
of installing or altering or who, as an employee of another,
installs or alters any sewage treatment system.
(G) "Manufacturer" means any person that manufactures sewage treatment systems or components of systems.
(H)
"Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the
Revised Code and also includes any state, any political
subdivision of a state, and any department, division, board,
commission, agency, or instrumentality of a state or political
subdivision.
(I) "Sanitary sewerage system" means pipelines or conduits,
pumping stations, force mains, and all other constructions,
devices, appurtenances, and facilities that convey sewage to a
central sewage treatment plant and that are required to obtain a
permit under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code.
(J) "Septage hauler" means any person who engages in the
collection, transportation, disposal, and land application of domestic septage.
(K) "Service provider" means any person who services, but
does not install or alter, sewage treatment systems.
(L) "Sewage" means liquid waste containing animal or vegetable matter in suspension or solution that originates from humans and human activities. "Sewage" includes liquids containing household chemicals in solution commonly discharged from a residence or from commercial, institutional, or other similar facilities. (M) "Sewage treatment system" means a household sewage treatment system, a small flow on-site sewage treatment system, or both, as applicable. (N) "Small flow on-site sewage treatment system" means a system, other than a household sewage treatment system, that treats not more than one thousand gallons of sewage per day and that does not require a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit issued under section 6111.03 of the Revised Code or an injection well drilling or operating permit issued under section 6111.043 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3718.02. (A) Not later than one year after the effective
date of this section, the public health council, in accordance
with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt, and
subsequently may amend and rescind, rules of general application
throughout the state to administer this chapter. Rules adopted
under division (A) of this section shall do at least all of the
following: (1) Require that the appropriate board of health approve or disapprove the use of a sewage treatment system if it is not connected
to a sanitary sewerage system;
(2) Require that a board of health conduct a site evaluation
for any proposed installation of a sewage treatment
system;
(3) Prescribe standards for the siting, design, installation,
operation, monitoring, maintenance, and abandonment
of household
sewage treatment systems that may be used in this state. The standards shall
include at a
minimum all of the following:
(a) Soil absorption specifications;
(b) Specifications for discharging systems that do not conflict with provisions related to the national pollutant discharge elimination system permit program established in section 6111.03 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it; (c) Requirements for the maintenance of a system according
to the manufacturer's instructions, if available;
(d) Requirements and procedures under which a person may
demonstrate the required maintenance of a system in lieu of having
an inspection conducted when an inspection otherwise is required. The rules also shall require that a system that has been or is sited or installed prior to or on the effective date of the rules and that is operating on that date shall be deemed approved unless the system is declared to be a public health nuisance by a board of health. (4) Prescribe procedures for notification to boards of
health of the approval of a sewage treatment system or components of a system by the director of health under section 3718.04 of the Revised Code; (5) Prescribe criteria and procedures under which boards of
health shall issue installation and operation permits for sewage treatment systems. The rules shall require as a condition of an installation permit that the installer of a system must warrant that the system was installed in accordance with all applicable rules and design requirements. In addition, the rules shall require a
board of health, not later than sixty days after the issuance of
an installation permit, to certify to the director on a
form provided by the director that the permit was issued.
(6) Require a board of health to inspect a sewage
treatment system not later than eighteen months after its installation to
ensure that the system is operating properly. The rules shall
require a board of health, not later than sixty days after the
inspection, to certify to the director on a form provided by the
director that the inspection was performed.
(7) Require a board of health to register installers,
service providers, and septage haulers that perform work within
the health district; prescribe criteria and procedures for the
registration; and prescribe criteria for a demonstration of competency as a part of the registration;
(8) Prescribe requirements for the collection,
transportation, disposal, and land application of domestic septage in this state
from a sewage treatment system;
(9) Require boards of health to maintain records that are
determined necessary to ascertain compliance with this chapter and
the rules adopted under it; (10) Require a board of health and the manufacturer of a sewage treatment system, when possible, to provide instructions for the operation
and maintenance of the system. The rules shall authorize the
instructions to be posted on the department of health's web site and the
manufacturer's web site. In addition, the rules shall require a
board of health and a
manufacturer to provide a copy of the
operation and maintenance
instructions, if available, when a board
of health or a
manufacturer receives a
written request for
instructions.
(11) Prescribe criteria for the provision of written evidence of compliance with board of health rules pertaining to household sewage treatment for purposes of sections 711.05 and 711.10 of the Revised Code; (12) Prescribe minimum criteria and procedures under which
boards of health may establish household sewage treatment district
management programs for the purpose of providing a responsive
approach toward preventing or solving sewage treatment problems
resulting from household sewage treatment systems within the
districts established under the program. For purposes of division
(A)(12) of this section, a board of health may enter into a
contract with any entity to administer a household sewage
treatment district management program. (13) Prescribe standards for the siting, design, installation, operation, monitoring, maintenance, and abandonment of small flow on-site sewage treatment systems that may be used in this state.
The council may adopt other rules under division (A) of this
section that it determines are necessary to implement this chapter
and to protect the public health and welfare.
At least sixty days prior to adopting a rule under division
(A) of this section, the council shall provide boards of health and any other interested parties an
opportunity to comment on the rule.
(B) In accordance with section 3709.20 or 3709.21 of the
Revised Code, as applicable, and subject to review by and approval
of the director under division (C) of section 3718.05 of the
Revised Code, a board of health may adopt rules necessary for the
public health providing for more stringent standards governing
household sewage treatment systems, installers, service providers,
or septage haulers than those established in rules of the public
health council adopted under division (A) of this section. A
board that intends to adopt such rules shall notify the department
of health of the rules at least ninety days prior to the proposed
date of adoption. The director shall approve or disapprove
any
such proposed rule within ninety days after receiving
notice of
it under this division. If the director fails to approve or disapprove a proposed rule within ninety days after receiving notice of it, the proposed rule shall be deemed approved.
Sec. 3718.021. (A) A board of health may regulate the siting, design, installation, operation, monitoring, maintenance, and abandonment of small flow on-site sewage treatment systems in accordance with rules adopted by the public health council under division (A)(13) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code. If a board of health chooses to regulate small flow on-site sewage treatment systems, the board first shall send written notification to the director of health and the director of environmental protection. (B) If a board of health chooses to regulate small flow on-site sewage treatment systems under division (A) of this section and later determines that it no longer wants to regulate those systems, the board shall notify the director of health and the director of environmental protection. Upon the receipt of the notification by the director of environmental protection, the board of health shall cease regulating small flow on-site sewage treatment systems, and the environmental protection agency shall regulate those systems. (C) If after a survey conducted under section 3718.07 of the Revised Code the director of health finds that a board of health that has chosen to regulate small flow on-site sewage treatment systems is not complying with the rules adopted under division (A)(13) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code, the director shall notify the director of environmental protection and the board of health. Upon receipt of the notification, the board shall cease regulating small flow on-site sewage treatment systems, and the environmental protection agency shall regulate those systems. Sec. 3718.03. (A) There is hereby created the
sewage treatment system technical advisory committee consisting of
the director of health or the director's designee and ten members
who are knowledgeable about sewage treatment systems and
technologies to be appointed by the director. Of the ten members
appointed by the director, one shall represent academia, two shall
represent the interests of manufacturers of household sewage
treatment systems, one shall represent installers and service providers, two shall be health commissioners who are members of and recommended by the association of Ohio health commissioners, one shall be a sanitarian who is registered under Chapter 4736. of the Revised Code and who is a member of the Ohio environmental health association, one shall be an engineer from the environmental protection agency, one shall be selected from among soil
scientists from the division of soil and water conservation in the department of natural resources, and one shall
be a representative of the public who is not employed by the state
or any of its political subdivisions and who does not have a
pecuniary interest in sewage treatment systems. All
appointments to the committee shall be made not later than sixty
days after the effective date of this section. (B) Of the initial members appointed by the director to the
technical advisory committee, three shall be appointed for one
year, three shall be appointed for two years, and four shall be
appointed for three years. Thereafter, terms shall be for three
years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as
did the term that it succeeds. Each member shall serve from the
date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member
was appointed. Members may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the
same manner as provided for original appointments. Any member
appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date
of the term for which the member was appointed shall hold office
for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue to serve
after the expiration date of the member's term until the member's
successor is appointed or until a period of sixty days has
elapsed, whichever occurs first. The director may remove a member
from the committee for failure to attend two consecutive meetings
without showing good cause for the absences. (C) The director or the director's designee shall serve as
the chairperson of the technical advisory committee. The
committee annually shall select from among its members a
vice-chairperson and a secretary to keep a record of its
proceedings. A majority vote of the members of the full committee is
necessary to take action on any matter. The committee may adopt
bylaws governing its operation, including bylaws that establish
the frequency of meetings.
(D) Serving as a member of the sewage treatment
system technical advisory committee does not constitute holding a
public office or position of employment under the laws of this
state and does not constitute grounds for removal of public
officers or employees from their offices or positions of
employment. Members of the committee shall serve without
compensation for attending committee meetings.
(E) A member of the committee shall not have a conflict of
interest with the position. For the purposes of this division,
"conflict of interest" means the taking of any action that
violates any provision of Chapter 102. or 2921. of the Revised
Code.
(F) The sewage treatment system technical advisory
committee shall do all of the following:
(1) Develop with the department of health standards and
guidelines for use by the director in approving or disapproving a sewage
treatment system or components of a system under section 3718.04
of the Revised Code;
(2) Develop with the department an application
form to be submitted to the director by an applicant for approval
or disapproval of a sewage treatment system or
components of a system and specify the information that must be included with an application form;
(3) Advise the director on the approval or disapproval of an application sent to the
director under section 3718.04 of the Revised Code requesting
approval of a sewage treatment system or components
of a system.
(G) If the committee meets in a calendar year, the director of health shall prepare and submit a report concerning the activities of the committee to the general assembly not later than ninety days after the end of the calendar year. The report shall discuss the number of applications submitted under section 3718.04 of the Revised Code for the approval of a new sewage treatment system or a component of a system, the number of such systems and components that were approved, any information that the committee considers beneficial to the general assembly, and any other information that the director determines is beneficial to the general assembly. If the committee determines that certain information should be included in the report, the committee shall submit the information to the director not later than thirty days after the end of the calendar year. (H) The department shall provide meeting space for
the committee. The committee shall be assisted in its duties by
the staff of the department.
(I) Sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code do not
apply to the sewage treatment system technical advisory
committee. Sec. 3718.04. (A) A manufacturer seeking approval for the
use of a sewage treatment system or a component of a
system in this state that differs in design or function from systems or components of systems the use of which is authorized in rules adopted under section 3718.02 of the Revised Code shall request an application form from the
department of health. The applicant shall complete the form and
include with it all of the information that is required by the department and the sewage treatment system technical advisory committee. The applicant
shall submit a completed application and all required information
to the director of health. (B) Upon receipt of an application, the director shall
examine the application and all accompanying information to
determine if the application is complete. If the director
determines that the application is not complete, the director
shall notify the applicant not later than fourteen days after determining that the application is not
complete, provide a description of the information that is missing
from the application, and return the application and all
accompanying information to the applicant. The applicant may
resubmit the application to the director. Not later than fourteen days after receipt of a complete application, the director shall notify the committee of the complete application and send a copy of the complete application and all accompanying information to the committee together with a request that the committee advise the director on the approval or disapproval of the system. (C) In approving or disapproving an
application, the director shall use the standards and guidelines
that the committee developed with the department for that purpose. The director shall not approve an application that fails
to comply with those standards and guidelines. If the committee advises the director concerning the application, the director shall consider the advice before approving or disapproving the application. However, if the committee fails to provide advice or if the committee fails to provide advice within a reasonable period of time before the director is required to approve or disapprove the application, the director may approve or disapprove the application without considering the advice of the committee. Not later than ninety days after receipt of a complete application, the director shall approve or disapprove the application in writing. If the director fails to approve or disapprove the application within that ninety-day period, the application shall be deemed approved.
(D) If the director approves an application under this
section, the director shall notify the applicant in writing. The
director also shall notify boards of health in accordance with
the procedures established in rules adopted under section 3718.02
of the Revised Code. If the director disapproves an application
under this section, the director shall notify the applicant in
writing and provide a brief explanation for the disapproval. Sec. 3718.05. The director of health shall do all of the
following:
(A) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules of the
public health council adopted under it;
(B) Examine records of boards of health, in accordance with
rules adopted by the council, that are determined necessary to
ascertain compliance with this chapter and rules adopted under it;
(C) Review and approve or disapprove rules proposed by
boards of health under division (B) of section 3718.02 of the
Revised Code. The director shall not disapprove a proposed rule unless the director determines that the proposed rule conflicts with this chapter or rules adopted under section 3718.02 of the Revised Code by the public health council or fails to promote public health or environmental protection. If the director disapproves a proposed rule, the director shall provide a written explanation of the director's disapproval to the board of health that proposed the rule.
(D) Survey boards of health as required by section 3718.07
of the Revised Code;
(E) Develop with the sewage treatment system technical advisory committee standards and guidelines for use by the director in approving or disapproving a sewage treatment system under section 3718.04 of the Revised Code and an application form for use by applicants for that approval, including identification of the information that must be included with the form; (F) Provide instructions on the operation and maintenance of
a sewage treatment system. The director shall provide
the operation and maintenance instructions on the department of
health's web site. In addition, the director shall provide a copy
of the operation and maintenance instructions when the director
receives a written request for the instructions.
Sec. 3718.06. (A)(1) A board of health shall establish fees
in accordance with section 3709.09 of the Revised Code for the
purpose of carrying out its duties under this chapter and rules
adopted under it, including a fee for an installation permit
issued by the board. All fees so established and collected by the
board shall be deposited in a special fund of the district to be
used exclusively by the board in carrying out those duties.
(2) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the
public health council may establish by rule a fee to be collected
from applicants for installation permits issued under rules
adopted under this chapter. The director of health shall use the
proceeds from that fee for administering and enforcing this
chapter and the rules adopted under it by the council. A board of
health shall collect the fee at the same time that it collects the
fee established by it under division (A)(1) of this section for
installation permits.
Not later than sixty days after the last day of the month in
which an installation permit is issued, a board shall certify the
amount collected under division (A)(2) of this section and
transmit the amount to the treasurer of state. All money so
received shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of
the general operations fund created in section
3701.83 of the Revised Code. The director shall use the money so credited solely for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and the rules adopted under it by the public health council.
(B) The director may submit recommendations to the council
regarding the amount of the fee collected under division (A)(2) of
this section for installation permits. When making the
recommendations, the director shall submit a report stating the
current and projected expenses of administering and enforcing this
chapter and the rules adopted under it by the council and the
total of all money that has been deposited to the credit of the
general operations fund under division (A)(2) of
this section. The director may include in the report any
recommendations for modifying the requirements established under
this chapter and the rules adopted under it by the council.
Sec. 3718.07. The director of health shall survey each city
and general health district at least once every three years to
determine whether there is substantial compliance with the
requirements of this chapter pertaining to health districts and
the applicable rules adopted by the public health council under
this chapter. Upon determining that there is substantial
compliance, the director shall place the district on an approved
list. The director may resurvey an approved district if it is
determined by the director to be necessary and may remove from the
list a district that is found not to be substantially complying
with the requirements of this chapter pertaining to health
districts and the applicable rules.
If the director determines that a district is not eligible
to be placed on the approved list or to continue on the list after
a resurvey, the director shall certify that determination to the
board of health, and the director shall carry out the duties of
the unapproved health district under this chapter and the
applicable rules adopted under it within the district or shall
contract with an approved health district to conduct those duties
until the unapproved district is placed on or returned to the
approved list. The director or the contracting district shall
have within the unapproved district the authority to exercise
powers and perform duties granted to or imposed on the board under
this chapter and the applicable rules adopted under it.
Until the unapproved district is placed on or returned to
the approved list, the director or the contracting district shall
collect all fees payable to the board of health under this chapter
and all such fees previously paid to the unapproved district that
have not been expended or encumbered. The director shall deposit
those fees in the state treasury to the credit of a special fund,
which is hereby created, to be used by the director for the
purpose of carrying out the duties of the unapproved health
district under this chapter and the applicable rules adopted under
it. A contracting district shall deposit those fees to the credit
of its fund created under section 3718.06 of the Revised Code to
be used by the district for the purpose of carrying out the duties
of the unapproved district under this chapter and the applicable
rules adopted under it. The director or contracting district
shall repay to the unapproved district any balance remaining in
the applicable fund from all sources when the unapproved district
is placed on or returned to the approved list by the director. If a health district is removed from the approved list under this section and the board of health of the district is regulating small flow on-site sewage treatment systems in the district under section 3718.021 of the Revised Code, the director of environmental protection shall regulate those systems in that district in accordance with division (C) of that section.
Sec. 3718.08. No person shall violate this chapter, any rule
adopted or order issued under it, or any condition of a
registration or permit issued under rules adopted under it.
Sec. 3718.09. (A) A board of health may issue, modify,
suspend, or revoke enforcement orders to a registration or permit
holder or other person directing the holder or person to abate a
violation of this chapter, any rule adopted or order issued under
it, or a condition of a registration or permit issued under it
within a specified, reasonable time. If an order issued under
this division is neglected or disregarded, the applicable board of
health may proceed in accordance with section 3707.02 of the
Revised Code.
(B) The health commissioner or the commissioner's designated
representative, without prior notice or hearing and in accordance
with the rules of the public health council, may issue an
emergency order requiring any action necessary to meet a public
health emergency regarding domestic septage management or
regarding a sewage treatment system. A person to whom
such an emergency order is issued immediately shall comply with
the order. A person so ordered may apply to the issuer of the
order for a hearing, which shall be held as soon as possible, but
not later than twenty days after the issuer's receipt of the
application for a hearing.
Sec. 3718.10. (A) The prosecuting attorney of the county or
the city director of law, village solicitor, or other chief legal
officer of the municipal corporation where a violation has
occurred or is occurring, upon complaint of the director of health
or a board of health, shall prosecute to termination or bring an
action for injunction or other appropriate relief against any
person who is violating or has violated this chapter, any rule
adopted or order issued under it, or any condition of a
registration or permit issued under rules adopted under it. The
court of common pleas or the municipal or county court in which an
action for injunction is filed has jurisdiction to grant such
relief upon a showing that the respondent named in the complaint
is or was in violation of the chapter or rules, orders, or
conditions.
Upon finding that a person intentionally has violated this chapter, a rule
adopted or order issued under it, or any condition of a
registration or permit issued under rules adopted under it, the
court may assess a civil penalty of not more than one hundred
dollars for each day of violation against the person.
Seventy-five
per cent of any penalties assessed by the court under
this
division shall be paid to the health district whose
board
of health brought the complaint, or to the state treasury to the credit of the general operations fund created in section 3701.83 of the Revised Code if the director of health is carrying out the duties of an unapproved health district in which the violation occurred in accordance with section 3718.07 of the Revised Code, and shall be used for the
purposes
of this chapter and the rules adopted under it.
Twenty-five per
cent of any penalties assessed by the court under
this division
shall be paid to the prosecuting attorney of
the county or
city director of law, village solicitor, or other
chief legal
officer of the municipal corporation that prosecuted
or brought
the action under this division to pay the expenses
incurred in
bringing the action.
(B) The remedies provided in this chapter are in addition to
any other remedies available under law.
Sec. 3718.99. Whoever purposely violates section 3718.08 of
the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand
dollars. Each day of violation is a separate offense. All money
collected from fines under this section shall be used to
administer and enforce this chapter and rules adopted under it and
shall be deposited as follows:
(A) If the violation occurred within a health district that
is approved under section 3718.07 of the Revised Code, the money
shall be deposited to the credit of the district's special fund
created under section 3718.06 of the Revised Code.
(B) If the violation occurred within a health district that
is not approved under section 3718.07 of the Revised Code and a
contracting district is carrying out the duties of the unapproved
health district in accordance with that section, the money shall
be deposited to the credit of the contracting district's special
fund created under section 3718.06 of the Revised Code.
(C) If the violation occurred within an unapproved health
district and the director of health is carrying out the duties of
the unapproved health district in accordance with section 3718.07
of the Revised Code, the money shall be deposited in the state
treasury to the credit of the general operations fund created in section 3701.83 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4736.01. As used in this chapter: (A) "Environmental health science" means the aspect of
public health science that includes, but is not limited to, the
following bodies of knowledge: air quality, food quality and
protection, hazardous and toxic substances, consumer product
safety, housing, institutional health and safety, community noise
control, radiation protection, recreational facilities, solid and
liquid waste management, vector control, drinking water quality,
milk sanitation, and rabies control. (B) "Sanitarian" means a person who performs for
compensation educational, investigational, technical, or
administrative duties requiring specialized knowledge and skills
in the field of environmental health science. (C) "Registered sanitarian" means a person who is
registered
as a sanitarian in accordance with Chapter 4736. of
the Revised
Code this chapter. (D) "Sanitarian-in-training" means a person who is
registered as a sanitarian-in-training in accordance with Chapter
4736. of the Revised Code this chapter. (E) "Practice of environmental health" means consultation,
instruction, investigation, inspection, or evaluation by an
employee of a city health district, a general health district,
the
Ohio environmental protection agency, the department of
health, or
the department of agriculture requiring specialized
knowledge,
training, and experience in the field of environmental
health
science, with the primary purpose of improving or
conducting
administration or enforcement under any of the
following: (1) Chapter 911., 913., 917., 3717., 3718., 3721., or
3733. of the
Revised Code; (2) Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code as it pertains to
solid waste; (3) Section 955.26, 3701.344, 3707.01, or 3707.03,
sections
3707.38 to 3707.99, or section 3715.21
of the Revised
Code; (4) Rules adopted under section 3701.34 of the Revised
Code
pertaining to home sewage, rabies control, or swimming
pools. "Practice of environmental health" does not include
sampling,
testing, controlling of vectors, reporting of
observations, or
other duties that do not require application of
specialized
knowledge and skills in environmental health science
performed
under the supervision of a registered sanitarian. The state board of sanitarian registration may further
define
environmental health science in relation to specific
functions in
the practice of environmental health through rules
adopted by the
board under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5302.30. (A) As used in this section: (1) "Good faith" means honesty in fact in a transaction
involving the transfer of residential real property. (2) "Land installment contract" has the same meaning as in
section 5313.01 of the Revised Code. (3) "Political subdivision" and "state" have the same
meanings as in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code. (4) "Residential real property" means real property that
is
improved by a building or other structure that has one to four
dwelling units. (B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this
section, this section applies to any transfer of residential real
property that occurs on or after July 1, 1993, by sale, land
installment contract, lease with option to purchase, exchange, or
lease for a term of ninety-nine years and renewable forever. For
purposes of this section, a transfer occurs when the initial
contract for transfer is executed, regardless of when legal title
is transferred, and references in this section to transfer offers
and transfer agreements refer to offers and agreements in respect
of the initial contract for transfer. (2) This section does not apply to any transfer of
residential real property that is any of the following: (a) A transfer pursuant to court order, including, but not
limited to, a transfer ordered by a probate court during the
administration of a decedent's estate, a transfer pursuant to a
writ of execution, a transfer by a trustee in bankruptcy, a
transfer as a result of the exercise of the power of eminent
domain, and a transfer that results from a decree for specific
performance of a contract or other agreement between persons; (b) A transfer to a mortgagee by a mortgagor by deed in
lieu
of foreclosure or in satisfaction of the mortgage debt; (c) A transfer to a beneficiary of a deed of trust by a
trustor in default; (d) A transfer by a foreclosure sale that follows a
default
in the satisfaction of an obligation secured by a
mortgage; (e) A transfer by a sale under a power of sale following a
default in the satisfaction of an obligation that is secured by a
deed of trust or another instrument containing a power of sale; (f) A transfer by a mortgagee, or a beneficiary under a
deed
of trust, who has acquired the residential real property at
a sale
conducted pursuant to a power of sale under a mortgage or
a deed
of trust or who has acquired the residential real property
by a
deed in lieu of foreclosure; (g) A transfer by a fiduciary in the course of the
administration of a decedent's estate, a guardianship, a
conservatorship, or a trust; (h) A transfer from one co-owner to one or more other
co-owners; (i) A transfer made to the transferor's spouse or to one
or
more persons in the lineal line of consanguinity of one or
more of
the transferors; (j) A transfer between spouses or former spouses as a
result
of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage,
annulment, or
legal separation or as a result of a property
settlement agreement
incidental to a decree of divorce,
dissolution of marriage,
annulment, or legal separation; (k) A transfer to or from the state, a political
subdivision
of the state, or another governmental entity; (l) A transfer that involves newly constructed residential
real property that previously has not been inhabited; (m) A transfer to a transferee who has occupied the
property
as a personal residence for one or more years
immediately prior to
the transfer; (n) A transfer from a transferor who both has not occupied
the property as a personal residence within one year immediately
prior to the transfer and has acquired the property through
inheritance or devise. (C) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section
and subject to divisions (E) and (F) of this section, every
person
who intends to transfer any residential real property on
or after
July 1, 1993, by sale, land installment contract, lease
with
option to purchase, exchange, or lease for a term of
ninety-nine
years and renewable forever shall complete all
applicable items in
a property disclosure form prescribed under
division (D) of
this section and shall deliver in accordance with
division (I) of
this section a signed and dated copy of the
completed form to each prospective transferee or
his
prospective
transferee's agent as
soon as is practicable. (D)(1) Prior to July 1, 1993, the director of commerce, by
rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code,
shall prescribe the disclosure form to be completed by
transferors. The form prescribed by the director shall be
designed to permit the transferor to disclose material matters
relating to the physical condition of the property to be
transferred, including, but not limited to, the source of water
supply to the property; the nature of the sewer system serving
the
property; the condition of the structure of the property,
including the roof, foundation, walls, and floors; the presence
of
hazardous materials or substances, including lead-based paint,
asbestos, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, and radon gas; and
any material defects in the property that are within the actual
knowledge of the transferor. The form also shall set forth a statement of the purpose of
the form, including statements substantially similar to the
following: that the form constitutes a statement of the
conditions of the property and of information concerning the
property actually known by the transferor; that, unless the
transferee is otherwise advised in writing, the transferor, other
than having lived at or owning the property, possesses no greater
knowledge than that which could be obtained by a careful
inspection of the property by a potential transferee; that the
statement is not a warranty of any kind by the transferor or by
any agent or subagent representing the transferor in this
transaction; that the statement is not a substitute for any
inspections; that the transferee is encouraged to obtain
his/her
the
transferee's
own professional inspection; that the
representations are made by
the transferor and are not the
representations of the
transferor's agent or subagent; and that
the form and the
representations contained therein are provided by
the transferor
exclusively to potential transferees in a transfer
made by the
transferor, and are not made to transferees in any
subsequent
transfers. The form shall include instructions to the transferor for
completing the form, space in which the transferor or transferors
shall sign and date the form, and space in which the transferee
or
transferees shall sign and date the form acknowledging receipt
of
a copy of the form and stating that the transferee or
transferees
understand the purpose of the form as stated thereon.
(2) If the real property to be transferred is served by a sewage treatment system, the transferor of the property
shall include on the disclosure
form a statement that information on the operation and maintenance of the type of system
serving the property is available from the
department of health or the board of health of the health district in which the property is located. As used in this section, "sewage treatment system"
has the same meaning as in section 3718.01 of the Revised Code. (E)(1) Each disclosure of an item of information that is
required to be made in the property disclosure form prescribed
under division (D) of
this section in connection with particular
residential real
property and each act that may be performed in
making any
disclosure of an item of information shall be made or
performed in
good faith. (2) If an item of information is unknown to the transferor
of residential real property at the time the item is required to
be disclosed in the property disclosure form and if
the
approximation is not used for the purpose of circumventing or
otherwise evading divisions (C) and (D) of this section, the
transferor may make a good faith approximation of the item of
information. (F)(1) A transferor of residential real property is not
liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to
person or property that allegedly arises from any error in,
inaccuracy of, or omission of any item of information required to
be disclosed in the property disclosure form if the error,
inaccuracy, or omission was not
within the transferor's actual
knowledge. (2) If any item of information that is disclosed in the
property disclosure form
is rendered inaccurate after the
delivery of the form to the
transferee of residential real
property or
his
the transferee's
agent as a result of any act,
occurrence, or
agreement, the
subsequent inaccuracy does not cause, and shall
not be construed
as causing, the transferor of the residential
real property to be
in noncompliance with the requirements of
divisions (C) and (D) of
this section. (G) Any disclosure of an item of information in the
property
disclosure form
prescribed under division (D)
of this
section may be amended in writing by the transferor of
residential real property at any time following the delivery of
the form
in accordance
with divisions (C) and (I) of this
section. The amendment shall
be subject to
the provisions of
this section. (H) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section,
every prospective transferee of residential real property who
receives in accordance with division (C) of this section a signed
and dated copy of a completed property disclosure form
as
prescribed under division (D)
of this section shall acknowledge
his receipt of the form
by doing both of the following: (1) Signing and dating a copy of the form; (2) Delivering a signed and dated copy of the form to the
transferor or
his
the transferor's agent or subagent. (I) The transferor's delivery under division (C) of this
section of a property disclosure form
as prescribed under
division (D) of this section
and the prospective transferee's
delivery under division (H) of
this section of an acknowledgment
of
his receipt of that form
shall be made by personal
delivery to
the other party or
his
the other party's agent or
subagent, by
ordinary mail or
certified mail, return receipt
requested, or by facsimile
transmission. For the purposes of the
delivery requirements of
this section, the delivery of a property
disclosure form
to a
prospective co-transferee of residential real property or
his
a
prospective co-transferee's
agent shall be considered delivery to
the other prospective
transferees unless otherwise provided by
contract. (J) The specification of items of information that must be
disclosed in the property disclosure form as prescribed under
division (D)(1) of this section does not limit or abridge, and
shall
not be construed as limiting or abridging, any obligation to
disclose an item of information that is created by any other
provision of the Revised Code or the common law of this state or
that may exist in order to preclude fraud, either by
misrepresentation, concealment, or nondisclosure in a transaction
involving the transfer of residential real property. The
disclosure requirements of this section do not bar, and shall not
be construed as barring, the application of any legal or
equitable
defense that a transferor of residential real property
may assert
in a civil action commenced against the transferor by
a
prospective or actual transferee of that property. (K)(1) Except as provided in division (K)(2) of this
section, but subject to divisions (J) and (L) of this section, a
transfer of residential real property that is subject to this
section shall not be invalidated because of the failure of the
transferor to provide to the transferee in accordance with
division (C) of this section a completed property disclosure form
as prescribed under division
(D) of this section. (2) Subject to division (K)(3)(c) of this section, if a
transferee of residential real property that is subject to this
section receives a property disclosure form or an amendment of
that form
as described in division (G) of this section
after the
transferee has entered into a transfer agreement with
respect to
the property, the transferee, after
his receipt of the
form or
amendment, may rescind the transfer agreement in a written,
signed,
and dated document that is delivered to the transferor or
his
the
transferor's agent or subagent in accordance with
divisions
(K)(3)(a) and
(b) of this section, without incurring any legal
liability to the
transferor because of the rescission, including,
but not limited
to, a civil action for specific performance of the
transfer
agreement. Upon the rescission of the transfer
agreement, the
transferee is entitled to the return of, and the
transferor shall
return, any deposits made by the transferee in
connection with
the proposed transfer of the residential real
property. (3)(a) Subject to division (K)(3)(b) of this section, a
rescission of a transfer agreement under division (K)(2) of this
section only may occur if the transferee's written, signed, and
dated document of rescission is delivered to the transferor or
his
the transferor's agent or subagent within three business
days
following the
date on which the transferee or
his
the transferee's
agent
receives the property
disclosure form
prescribed under division (D) of this section or
the amendment of that form
as described in division (G) of this
section. (b) A transferee may not rescind a transfer agreement
under
division (K)(2) of this section unless
he
the transferee
rescinds
the
transfer agreement by the earlier of the date that is thirty
days
after the date upon which the transferor accepted the
transferee's transfer offer or the date of the closing of the
transfer of the residential real property. (c) A transferee of residential real property may waive
the
right of rescission of a transfer agreement described in
division
(K)(2) of this section. (d) A rescission of a transfer agreement is not
permissible
under division (K)(2) of this section if a transferee
of
residential real property that is subject to this section
receives
a property disclosure form as prescribed under division
(D) of this section or an amendment
of that form as described in
division (G) of this section prior to the transferee's submission
to the transferor or
his
the transferor's agent or subagent of a
transfer offer
and the transferee's entry into a transfer
agreement with respect
to the property. (4) If a transferee of residential real property subject
to
this section does not receive a property disclosure form from
the transferor after the
transferee has submitted to the
transferor or
his
the transferor's
agent or subagent a transfer
offer and has
entered into a transfer
agreement with respect to the property,
the transferee may rescind
the transfer agreement in a written,
signed, and dated document
that is delivered to the transferor or
his
the transferor's agent
or subagent in accordance with
division (K)(4) of this
paragraph,
section without
incurring any legal liability to the transferor
because of the
rescission, including, but not limited to, a civil
action for
specific performance of the transfer agreement. Upon
the
rescission of the transfer agreement, the transferee is
entitled
to the return of, and the transferor shall return, any
deposits
made by the transferee in connection with the proposed
transfer
of the residential real property. A transferee may not
rescind a
transfer agreement under
division (K)(4) of this
paragraph
section unless
he
the transferee
rescinds the
transfer
agreement by the earlier of the date that is thirty days
after the
date upon which the transferor accepted the
transferee's transfer
offer or the date of the closing of the
transfer of the
residential real property. (L) The right of rescission of a transfer agreement
described in division (K)(2) of this section or the absence of
that right does not affect, and shall not be construed as
affecting, any other legal causes of action or other remedies
that
a transferee or prospective transferee of residential real
property may possess against the transferor of that property. Sec. 6111.04. (A) Both of the following apply except as
otherwise provided in division (A) or (F) of this section: (1) No person shall cause pollution or place or
cause to be
placed any sewage, sludge, sludge materials,
industrial waste, or
other wastes
in a location where they cause pollution of any
waters of the
state. (2) Such an action prohibited under division (A)(1) of this
section is hereby declared to be a public
nuisance. Divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if the
person causing pollution or placing or causing to be placed wastes
in a
location in which they cause pollution of any waters of the
state holds a
valid, unexpired permit,
or renewal of a permit,
governing the causing or
placement as provided in sections 6111.01
to 6111.08 of
the Revised Code or if the person's application for
renewal of such a permit is pending. (B) If the director of environmental protection administers a sludge management program
pursuant to division (S) of section 6111.03 of the Revised Code,
both of the
following apply except as otherwise provided in
division (B) or
(F) of this
section: (1) No person, in the course of sludge management, shall
place on land
located in the state or release into the air of the
state any sludge or sludge
materials. (2) An action prohibited under division (B)(1) of this
section is
hereby declared to be a public nuisance. Divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if the
person
placing or releasing the sludge or sludge materials holds a
valid, unexpired
permit, or renewal of a permit, governing the
placement or release as provided
in sections 6111.01 to 6111.08 of
the Revised Code or if the person's application for renewal
of
such a permit is pending. (C) No person to whom a permit has been issued shall place
or
discharge, or cause to be placed or discharged, in any waters
of
the state any sewage, sludge, sludge materials, industrial
waste, or other wastes in excess of the permissive discharges
specified under
an existing permit without first receiving a
permit from
the director to do
so. (D) No person to whom a sludge management permit has been
issued shall place on the land or release into the air of the
state any sludge or sludge materials in excess of the permissive
amounts specified under the existing sludge management permit
without first receiving a modification of the existing sludge
management
permit or a new sludge management permit to do so from
the
director. (E) The director may require the submission of plans,
specifications, and other information that the director
considers
relevant in connection with the issuance of permits. (F) This section does not apply to any of the following: (1) Waters used in washing sand, gravel, other aggregates,
or mineral products when the washing and the
ultimate disposal
of
the water used in the washing, including any sewage,
industrial
waste, or other wastes contained in the waters,
are
entirely
confined to the land under the control of the person
engaged in
the recovery and processing of the sand, gravel,
other aggregates,
or mineral products and do not result in the
pollution of waters
of the state; (2) Water, gas, or other material injected into a well to
facilitate, or that is incidental to, the production of
oil,
gas,
artificial brine, or water derived in association with oil
or gas
production and disposed of in a well, in compliance with a
permit
issued under Chapter 1509. of the Revised Code, or sewage,
industrial waste, or other wastes injected into a well in
compliance with an injection well operating permit. Division
(F)(2)
of this section does not
authorize, without a permit, any
discharge that
is prohibited by, or for which a permit is required
by,
regulation of the United States environmental protection
agency. (3) Application of any materials to land for agricultural
purposes or runoff of the materials from
that application or
pollution by animal waste or soil sediment, including attached
substances, resulting from farming, silvicultural, or earthmoving
activities regulated by Chapter 307. or 1515. of the Revised
Code; (4) The excrement of domestic and farm animals defecated
on
land or runoff therefrom into any waters of the state; (5) On and after the date on which the United States
environmental protection agency approves the NPDES program
submitted by the director of agriculture under section 903.08 of
the Revised Code, storm
water from an animal feeding facility,
as
defined in section 903.01 of the Revised Code, or manure, as
defined in
that section; (6) The discharge of sewage, industrial waste, or other
wastes into a sewerage system tributary to a treatment works.
Division (F)(6) of this section does not
authorize any discharge
into a publicly
owned treatment works in violation of a
pretreatment program
applicable to the publicly owned treatment
works. (7) Septic tanks or any other disposal systems for the
disposal or treatment of sewage from single-family, two-family,
or
three-family dwellings A household sewage treatment system or a small flow on-site sewage treatment system, as applicable, as defined in section 3718.01 of the Revised Code that is installed in compliance with the sanitary code
and
section 3707.01 Chapter 3718. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it. Division (F)(7)
of this
section does not
authorize, without a permit, any discharge that
is prohibited by, or for which a permit is required by,
regulation
of the United States environmental protection agency. (8) Exceptional quality sludge generated outside of this
state and
contained in bags or other containers not greater than
one hundred pounds in
capacity. As used in division (F)(8) of
this section, "exceptional
quality sludge" has the same meaning as
in division (Y) of section
3745.11 of the Revised Code. (G) The holder of a permit issued under section 402 (a) of
the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act need not obtain a permit
for a discharge authorized by the permit until its
expiration
date. The director shall
administer
and enforce those permits
within this state and may
modify
their terms and conditions in
accordance with division
(J) of section 6111.03 of the Revised
Code. Sec. 6111.44. (A) Except as otherwise provided in division
(B) of this section, in section
6111.14 of the Revised Code, or in
rules adopted under division
(G) of section 6111.03 of the Revised
Code, no municipal
corporation, county, public institution,
corporation, or officer
or employee thereof or other person shall
provide or install
sewerage or treatment works for sewage, sludge,
or sludge
materials disposal or treatment or make a change
in any
sewerage or treatment works until the plans
therefor have been
submitted to and approved by the director of
environmental
protection. Sections 6111.44 to 6111.46 of the
Revised Code apply
to sewerage and treatment works of
a municipal corporation or part
thereof, an unincorporated
community, a county sewer district, or
other land outside of a
municipal corporation or any publicly or
privately owned building
or group of buildings or place, used for
the assemblage,
entertainment, recreation, education, correction,
hospitalization, housing, or employment of persons. In granting an approval, the director may stipulate
modifications, conditions, and
rules that the public health and
prevention of pollution may
require. Any action taken by the
director shall be a matter of
public record and shall be entered
in the director's
journal. Each period
of thirty days that a
violation of this section continues, after
a conviction for the
violation, constitutes a separate
offense. (B) Sections 6111.45 and 6111.46 of
the Revised
Code and
division
(A) of this section do not
apply to any of the following: (1) Sewerage or treatment works for sewage installed or
to
be installed for the use of a private residence or
dwelling; (2) Sewerage systems,
treatment
works, or disposal systems for storm water from an
animal feeding
facility or manure, as "animal feeding facility"
and "manure" are
defined in section 903.01 of the Revised Code; (3) Animal waste treatment or disposal works and related
management and conservation practices that are subject to rules
adopted under division (E)(2) of section 1511.02 of the
Revised
Code; (4) Sewerage or treatment works for the on-lot disposal or treatment of sewage from a small flow on-site sewage treatment system, as defined in section 3718.01 of the Revised Code, if the board of health of a city or general health district has notified the director of health and the director of environmental protection under section 3718.021 of the Revised Code that the board has chosen to regulate the system, provided that the board remains in compliance with the rules adopted under division (A)(13) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code.
The
exclusions established in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of
this section
do not apply to the construction or installation
of disposal
systems, as defined in section 6111.01 of the Revised
Code,
that
are located at an animal feeding facility and that
store, treat,
or discharge wastewaters that do not include storm
water or manure
or that discharge to a publicly owned treatment
works.
Sec. 6111.441. In addition to the exemption established under division (B)(4) of section 6111.44 of the Revised Code, sewerage or treatment works for the on-lot disposal or treatment of sewage from a small flow on-site sewage treatment system, as defined in section 3718.01 of the Revised Code, concerning which the board of health of a city or general health district has notified the director of health and the director of environmental protection under section 3718.021 of the Revised Code that the board has chosen to regulate the system are exempt from the administrative and permitting requirements established in this chapter and rules adopted under it and the fees established under section 3745.11 of the Revised Code, provided that the board remains in compliance with the rules adopted under division (A)(13) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing sections 307.37, 319.281, 521.01, 711.05, 711.10, 711.131, 3701.83, 3709.085, 3709.09,
3709.091, 4736.01, 5302.30, 6111.04, and 6111.44 of the Revised Code are hereby
repealed.
Section 3. Chapter 3701-29 of the Ohio Administrative Code
shall remain in effect as it existed on the effective date of this
act until it is superseded by the rules that are required to be
adopted
under section 3718.02 of the Revised Code as enacted by
this act.
Section 4. Section 3718.021 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act, shall become operative on the effective date of the rules adopted under division (A)(13) of section 3718.02 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act. Section 5. Section 3709.085 of the Revised Code is
presented in this act
as a composite of the section as amended by
both
Am. Sub. H.B. 197 and S.B. 198 of the 123rd General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the
principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised
Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of
simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting
version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of
the section as presented in this act.
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